Alcaraz Set to Compete Against Everyday Players in Seven-Figure One Point Slam
Everyday tennis enthusiasts are being offered the possibility to earn a seven-figure prize when they compete against elite players - headed by leading player Carlos Alcaraz - in a single-point showdown prior to the Australian Grand Slam
Organizers of the Australian Open have announced the Seven-Figure Quick-Fire Competition, which will match 10 amateur players against top-ranked players in a knockout tournament at the Australian Open venue
The Unique Competition Operates
Players will play 'rock, paper, scissors' to determine who takes the serve or return position, and whoever wins the point will progress to the following stage
The winner of the event will receive £490,000
By comparison, players who advanced to the semi-finals of the main draw competitions in the 2025 Australian Open won A$1.1m
Previous Related Competitions
The New York major hosted a restructured, standalone combined gender tournament in the eighth month which motivated top singles players to take part, with the winners receiving $1m
The Australian Open held its first-ever single-point competition in the current season, but the total purse was sixty thousand Australian dollars and it received minimal attention
Andrey Rublev was the single high-ranked athlete participating, and his progress finished when he directed the single service opportunity allowed into the net in his quarter-final
Competition Details
Organizers have not said exactly how the event will operate, but it is expected to emulate a comparable structure to the most recent iteration
The top competitors will be granted to serve once and the everyday players on two occasions - as is the standard practice in traditional tennis
While it is unclear how the bracket will work, there will be multiple elimination stages and the venue will be the primary court rather than the secondary venue
The last matches will occur in a nighttime schedule instead of early afternoon
Entry Information
Any Australians - or overseas competitors who have registered with the national federation - can enter 'single-point competition' tournaments at their community centers
The winners of the community events will then go into a selection process, with one amateur player from every geographic division selected to take part in the 'championship round' in a evening match on Wednesday, 14 January
There will also be a preliminary competition in December which amateurs, lower ranked pros, celebrities and athletic celebrities can compete in
It starts on early January and the two winners will qualify for the midweek 'grand finale' with the additional everyday players and 10 professionals
"No matter your experience, the ultimate winner will receive the reward. Registrations will begin shortly at venues nationwide"
Competition planners mentioned there were "further celebrities to be announced soon", while the official website said "celebrities" would be taking part